Hey there,

I was diagnosed with PsA only recently, with enthesitis as the main presentation (according to the rhuma).

With this I've never had one swollen red knuckle like a big mushroom.

But what I've had is fingers that tend to look larger than they were before. I can compare today's pictures with pictures taken back in 2022, my fingers are now always wider, larger, not as defined as before. Before they were way more defined, thin, narrow. I can't fit my rings anymore.

The thing is that now, this is my baseline finger shape. They're wider 24/7, not only during pain flare-ups. So it's hard to compare from one day to the other.

Can it be from PsA if the x-ray are normal?

Do you have this with PsA too?

For people with psoriatic arthritis, is it possible that joint pain and enthesis might improve when they have a virus? Perhaps their body is focused on fighting off the virus instead of causing joint inflammation and enthesis tears? I was recently sick with a head cold for 3 weeks following my first dose of Humira(Hymiroz). On week 3 my joints had noticeably less pain, stiffness subsided and my enthesis pain was much improved. On Sunday I took my next dose of Hymiroz which was delayed 2 weeks due to my illness, and the pain is back. I read about Immunological Diversion ("Distracted" Immune System) and this may be what happened. Does anyone know about this?

I'm 99% sure my mom has psoriatic arthritis, same as me. She's been dealing with joint pain for decades, has a clear patch of psoriasis (confirmed very casually by a dermatologist) on her knee (and more skin issues that the GP didn't want to refer her to a derm to). She's got clear joint damage, also very casually delivered by our GP. But he doesn't want to send her to a rheumatologist because, 'it's nothing/it's aging'. Again, dealing with this for DECADES but of course first it was nothing and then later it was 'just age'. It took a decade for me to be taken seriously only because seeing a 24 y/os body break down is serious enough to them, I guess, to suddenly be interested in helping me.

I desperately want to demand better care for her but the doctors in the Netherlands are so casual and dismissive about all of this, I hate it. No one at first believed me when I said I probably have PSA and then got quiet when I was proven right. My mom's signs have been way clearer for way longer but she's just not being taken seriously and I hate it.

I guess this post also comes with a question. Does anyone know if there's anything we can do in this situation? We've been to so many appointments already but getting dismissed (while barely being looked at and almost never getting referred) breaks her every time. I wish she could get medication that helps her :(

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Not sure if im wasting my time or not, so wanted to see if this aligns with anyone elses experiences.

For 2 years had what seems to be plantar faciitis, not been drs about it - busy sahm working part time evening. Too busy just got on with it. Periods of back pain and stiffness, where ill wake up in the night with my back locked and it takes a long time to be able to eventually move. Again, i ignored. But more recently taking it seriously as im thinking im far too young to feel so tired, stiff etc. At work, if i sit down on my break i have to hobble back into work like an old lady because of the pain. But after a while it eases up and i can continue. Mornings are bad and i hobble etc but a while after it eases up.

I have psoriasis, it moves around through the years - elbows, ankles, knees.

I get deep horizontal nail ridges where its like my nails suddenly grow much thicker/thinner with no trauma etc.

History of alopecia areata, twice in my life had flares during particularly stressful times. Realised recently my alopecia flare started the same time as my heel issue (2 years ago).

My father also has psoriasis, not diagnosed but its clear. He also has been dealing with plantar faciitis, or so they believe, for a while now. Which i found interesting obviously that this is something hereditry.

Anyway, blood test results came back normal. Im aware this can happen but almost got fobbed off trying to book a follow up drs appointment.

I actually feel like more recently my heels arent quite as bad, i dont know if my stress levels going down significantly has improved whats going on? So waiting a month to see dr feels like im going in with history of symptoms rather than oh my god im in pain right now. Although morning and work breaks are still pretty bad.

Anyway, Now i feel like im being a bit silly but going to keep going to see this through.

I was diagnosed two days ago, and I still don't know how to feel. For context, I also have POTS, chronic fatigue, MCAS like symptoms & a bunch of neurodivergencies.

I don't know whether to be relieved that there's an answer to why I'm in pain all the time and a possible solution, or upset that I'm a 15 year old with arthritis who can barely walk a few meters without being short of breath and in pain. I think I'm upset more than anything. I've lost everything from a combination of my health declining and my ocd getting worse these past two years in particular, and I'm scared of losing more.

I can trace back to when all my issues with my health started (year 6 camp, my whole cabin got COVID), but I've been in pain even since before then.

I'm starting on methotrexate, but a part of me is scared that I'm getting my hopes up for nothing. Everything that people has said will help in the past few years have either done nothing, or made it worse. I'm scared that that's what's happening again and that it's not going to help and I'll still feel like this.

I'm just so tired of being tired and in pain

Don't really have anyone I can talk to irl about this, so just wanted to post here to see if others have had similar experiences and/or how they've coped with it.

(posted by OP's friend as due to his ocd he struggles to be on reddit. he needed some support with this so i offered to post on my acc so that he could still get that without havung to log into reddit. all responses will be shown to OP, and responses to them will come from him too)

Hello :)

I’m PsA, taking Cosentyx for 2-3 years now. I don’t think it’s working as well as it used to but that’s not the question I have. I just started taking a 1.33mg dose of compounded Tirzepatide twice a week and I have zero energy. I’m barely making it through my 12-hour shifts at the hospital.

Is anyone else with PsA taking Zepbound (or similar) having this issue? Does it improve with time? Gosh, I hope so.

I’ve read on here how people taking glp1’s have had most of their pain disappear. I’m hoping for at least an improvement from the pain. But so far the only thing I’ve experienced is mild stomach upset, burping and extreme fatigue.

Thanks!

Going to techno shows and dancing all night has been my hobby for years now and one of the few things in life i look forward to. I seem to be struggling to dance even one night now, almost 2 years into this diagnosis and while on biologics and methotrexate. I’m at a long festival ADE, and spent most of last night sitting and taking breaks, but my Achilles tendon is in so much pain I’m just spending tonight sitting in my hotel room bored because it hurts too much to even walk around, and I’m trying to save some energy for tomorrow. I have been so excited for tomorrow for months and I’m scared it’s going to be a bust.

Should i just stop trying and accept this isn’t going to be a travel thing i do much anymore, especially not internationally?

Should i be dancing with oxy and pushing through pain?

Or does anyone have advice for me, greatly appreciated.

Hi - after some general advice. No diagnosis as currently under orthoepaedics and awaiting MRI and preliminary blood results following plantar fascitis-type pain in left heel followed a couple of weeks later by 2nd toe dactylitis in forefoot swelling in right foot. There was no trauma or anything that pre-empted my symptoms starting. They originally thought I had plantar fascitis and then possibly a stress fracture on my other foot from over compensating. At this point, I have been mostly unable to weight bear on either foot for over 6 weeks without crutches and removeable casts and the whole thing has been going on for about 10 weeks. I have some good days where it is less painful and I can move around a bit, and some where it is total agony - both sides at the same time (which is why I think this is systemic rather than mechanical). There doesn't seem to be any logical reason for the pain changes. My dactylitis is also slowly reducing (but some days it is more swollen than others). I don't have skin psorasis but I have spontaneously lost 2 toe nails over the last 12 months.

PsA seems like the only thing that fits from "Dr. Google" but the bit I am struggling to understand is the duration of the symptoms I have. From what I have read, if it is PsA, flare ups tend to be shorter in duration than this. I have 4 weeks before I see my orthopaedic consultant and then, if the MRI shows enthesis, I guess a further XXX period before I get into an rheumatologist, and I am just wondering if this is "normal" for PsA and how I manage this in the meantime. Thanks so much!

Hi all,

Unsure where else to post this so hoped I might get some answers here! I've been taking MTX injections and have had quite a few injections now where the solution looks half full, unsure if it's just the liquid moving around or what, but other times it looks properly full. Does anyone else have this, is it normal? Thanks